Vertical filing device



Jan. 14, 1930. HUNTER l ,743,669

VERTI CAL FILING DEVI CE Filed Feb, 27. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAVD E. HUNTER, on MUsKEGon, MICHIGN, ASSIGNOR *To THE SHAW-WALKER COMPANY, or MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION on MICI-IIGAN VERTICAL rinine DEVICE Application filed February 27, 1928. Serial No. 2573159.

This invention relates to improvements in vertical filing devices, and more particularly to an improved filing container and means for dividing said contaner into separate filing compartments consisting of one or more partition plates spaced apart at intervals throughout the length of a container or drawer, together with a mounting for such plates whereby the same may Swing forwardy and rearwardly through a predetermined are. e

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of partition plates and supporting members, capable of replacing the ordinary container equipment with a minimum of expense and labor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container equipped With partition plates so proportioned With respect to the height of the contents thereof as to materially 'acilitate filing Operations and particular ly the location of any filed matter torremoval or reference.

A filing container or drawers of the type herein disclosed departs from the more com mon forms of filing equipment in that the space within the drawer is divided longitudinally into several sections by relatively stiff plates, capable of swinging 'orwardly and rearwardly without being otherwise displaced, instead of a single slidablecompression plate or'follower block so-called. The advantages of the partition plate over the follower plate arrangement from the standpoint of convenience, speed of manipulation and labor saving are such, that it is to' the interest of the manufacturer'to replace filing devices already in use with the improved equipment at theminimum eXpense to the Customer. 'One of the purposes of the present invention is,therefore, to provide for such a change, using a's much of the original equipment as possible. y

The accompanying drawings disclose the 56 Figure' 2 is a View in longitudinal section preferred embodimentof my invention and through a draWer, filled tonormal Capacity and showing the mann'er in which the contents can be manipulated,

Figure 3 is anenlarged detail view in vertical section taken 'on line 3 3 of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a View in vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The container is represented as a drawer 1, such as is mounted in a filing cabinet and preferably of a metal Construction made up' &po

of a front wall or head 2, side walls 3, 3, rear wall 4, and a bottom Wall 5. The head 2 is somewh'at higher than the side and rear Walls, its vertical dimension indicating generally the height of the compartment in which the drawer is mounted. As indicated in Figure 2, the contents A 'of the drawer, that is, the filed' material normally 'stands i'n an upright or vertical position, resting on the bottom Wall 5, With its upper edges eX- 7 tending 'above the top of the side and rear walls.

At the bottom ofthe drawer and extending lengthwise of the bottom wall 5 is an upwardly facing central channel of about of an inch in depth and 4 inches in width. This channel in the ordinary 'draWer provides a depression for mounting a pair of rods 6, 6, on which a follower plate (not shown) is mounted for slidi'ng movement lengthwise of so the drawer. 'These rods are position'ed along opposite sides of the channel just above the bottom thereof and are preferably removable, being inserted through openings in the rear wall and provided with threaded ends 35 6 which screw into an upright fiange mounted at the front end of the channel. A guide rod 8 is also usually provided in draw-' ers equipped with follower plates, this rod extendiig centrally of the channel between the side rods 6, 6, and serves to secure the guide cards to thedrawer, said guide cards having tabs at their lower edges with eyes through which the rod passes. Theoguide rod is also removable, being inserted through the' front Wall or head of the drawer and having a knob or handle B located on the outside and near the lower edge of the drawer head. A threa'ded socket (not shown) is provided at the back of the drawer to engage a rear end of the rod.

Assuming then that a drawer equipped with a follower plate is to be reconditioned, using the improved system of partition plates, the follower plate would be discarded, being removed by withdrawing the rods 6, 6, on which it slides. The guide rod 8 would also be withdrawn and the guide cards removed.

The partition plates 9 to be inserted in the drawer consist of rectangular pieces of sheet metal of a width to extend transversely of the drawer, with slight clearance between "he edges of the plate and the side walls. The tower edges of the plates rest on the bottom wall and their height is substantially less than that of the side walls of the drawer. The low height of the plates relative to the height of the side walls and more particulariy to that of the contents of the drawer is a feature which will be later discussed at greater length The plates are of a substantial thickness o as to be practically infilexible. Centrally of the lower edge of each plate 9 is fixed a small rectangular reinforcing plate 10, its lower portion projecting downwardly to provide an extended edge portion or extension lO. Each partition plate is preferably recessed or indented to form a seat for the reintorcing plate so that the outer face of the latter is fiush with the corresponding or front face of the partition plate., The width of the reinforcingplate, and particularly the projecting edge portion 10 is slightly less than that of the channel so that it fits loosely thei-ein, with its lower edge just clearing the bottom of the channel. In the projecting edge portion of the reinforcing plates are drilled two holes 11, 11, spaced apart the same distance between centers as the rods 6, 6, but of a slightly greater diameter. Between these holes is also provided a centrally loi cated inverted U-shaped notch 12 cut out to provide a space for the guide rod 8.

Thus having removed the follower plate,

the rods 6, 6, are passed through the holes 11` in thepartton plates, the number thereof de-V pending on the length of the drawer and the desired number of spaces into which it is to be divided. Between each successive plate are mounted pairs of longitudinally split sleeves or tubular spacing members 13, 13. These spacing members are cut to a length substantially equal to the distance between plates, but with due allowance for clearance between each end of the spacing members and the plates separated thereby. In other words, a gap is provided between the spacing members-considerably wider than the thickness of the plates,-in order to allow the plates to tilt or Swing forwardly and backwardly, as permitted by the increased diameter of the holes in the plates through which the rods 6, 6, eXtend. These spacing members may remain loose on the rods, but being split lengthwise can be contracted so as to grip the rods once their position bars be located if so desired. Additional pairs of spacing members are inserted between the front and rear walls of the drawer and the end plate, as shown in Figure 2. The rods with the plates and spacing members thus assembled are again Secured into the drawer in the original manner, and the reconditioned drawer is ready for use The guide rod 8 is replaced whether or not the original guide cards are used, in order to preserve the appearance of the drawer from the front.

Figure 2 llustrates the manner in which the filed matter is divided in a drawer or container equipped with the partition plates, namely, into sections or divsons A', each being included between adjacent plates and i supported thereby in upright position independently of the other sections. By virtue of the swinging movement of the plates the desired matter in any compartment or section can be readilyjlocated for withdrawal or reference, or new matter filed by spreading the contents in opposite directions at the point located. In this connection it is to be particularly observed that the upper edgw of the partition plates terminate a considerable distance below the normal heightof the contents of a drawer. In this instance the height of each plate is about two-thirds the height of the drawer, and practically the same proportion eXists with respect to the contents of the dr'awer.

Now assuming that a certain record card or sheet a is to be located and the necessary information obtained therefrom without withdrawng it from the file, it would first be located by the index or guide card and then by forcing the contents apart the sheet would be exposed in a V-shaped crevice made by the angular shiftng of the contents and plates on either side. Now, if the plates were the same height as the contents of the drawer, the sides of the V would be straight inasmuch as the plates being inflexible would not permit of any additional spreadng. But since the top edges of the plates aresome distance below the upper edges of the contents and the latter are fiexible it is possible to bend or fleX the filed matterforwardly and rearwardly over the top edges of the plates, thus forminga wide fiaring entranceto" the crevice, which r wouldpermit practical-ly'the full height of the sheet a to be eXamined without removing it from its place, whereas it, would be other-s wise 'necessary to remove it for this purpose and then replace it. The amount that the contents would be fieXed would depend .on the pressure applied and the extent tozwhich the drawer is filled, but in any case the ability to fiex the upper portions of the filed matter backwardly and/or forwardly at` any point increases the elastcity of the filing equipment and adds materially to the ease and rapidity which matter can be located for reference.

Having disclosed a preferred embodjment of my invention, I claim:

l. In a filing device the combination of a containcr having a longitudinal channel in its bottom, a rod extending lengthwise of said channel, a plate extending transversely of said container and having an extension at its lower edge adapted to project into 'said channel and a hole in said extension through which said rod extends, and tubular spacng members mounted on said rod on opposite sides of said plate.

2. In a filing device the combination of a container having an upwardly facing channel extending lengthwise of the :bottom wall thereof, a pair of parallel rods extending lon e gitudinally of said channel, a plurality of partiton plates extending transversely of said container at predetermined intervals throughout its length, said plates having extensions at their lower edges adapted to project into said channel, and holes in said extensions through which said rods extend, and tubular spacing members adapted to be mounted on said rods between said plates and adapted to hold the same against longitudinal displacement.

3. In a filing device the combination of a contaner having an upwardly facing channel extending lengthwise of the bottom wall thereof, a pair of Parallel rods extending longitudinally of said channel, a plurality of partition plates extending transversely of said container at predetermined intervals throughout its length, said plates having extensione at their lower edges adapted to project into said channel and holes in said extensions of greaterdiameter than said rods and through which the latter extend, and longitudinally split sleeves mounted on said rods between said plates and between the endmost plates and the ends of said container, whereby said plates are permitted to Swing through a predetermined angle without bodily displacement along said rods.

Signed at Muskegon this 23rd day of February, 1928.

DAVID E. HUNTE-R. 

